Google Fires Activist Employees

Over 200 workers showed up at Google’s San
Francisco offices on the 22nd of November to protest the suspension of two
activists who worked for the company. By the 25th of November, at least one of
the suspended workers were fired along with three other Google staffers. The
company claims that the termination occurred because of a breach of the
company’s internal security protocol. Recent events and other dismissals raise
questions as to the veracity of the company’s statement.

Retaliation for Speaking Out?

Several workers were outraged at the
firing, citing it as retaliation against one of the employees raising questions
about the company’s cooperation with US Customs and Border Control. Former
Google employees have also stated that the company retaliated against them,
showing the company’s precedence in dealing with matters like this. The
protest, as well as the firings, suggest labor unrest at the search giant’s
headquarters.

Multiple Protests

Employees have become quite vocal about
several projects that Google is involved in. The company is slated to provide
AI tools to aid in the US Department of Defense drone strike program. It has
also developed and implemented a censored search engine specifically for China.
Finally, the provision of cloud computing and storage services to fossil fuel
companies has caused several employees to push back against management. The
company’s handling of sexual harassment cases was the final straw, as over
20,000 employees staged a walkout to raise awareness about the issue.

No Say in the Matter

While Google employees are crucial to the
company’s continued success, it is essential to remember that the company’s
decisions reflect what the shareholders say, and don’t rely on input from the
workers. The company is within its right to fire workers who go against company
policy in their activism. However, if the firings are specific victimization
for speaking out, then Google may be demonstrating a bit of authoritarianism –
a bad look for a company that had a motto of ‘Don’t Be Evil” less than a
decade ago.